As expected, the Chargers are planning to announce an upcoming move up the coast to L.A. as soon as tomorrow. ESPN reported the news this evening, and added that while Chargers owner Dean Spanos hasn’t filed a formal relocation letter, he really wants to position himself to make a big pile of money in L.A.:

This is said to have been an extremely difficult decision for Spanos to reach, sources said. While the economics of the decision have been crystal clear, Spanos’ loyalty and connection to San Diego have countered it. But in the end, Spanos’ efforts to find a new stadium are now in their 16th year, with no solution in sight. This stalemate is occurring at a time when the Rams are becoming more established in the Los Angeles market. Spanos is said to believes he needs to start fighting for the Los Angeles market as soon as possible.

As we noted this morning, the NFL does not want the Chargers to move and Spanos’s fellow owners want him to stay to solidify their leverage in getting public money for stadiums. The most interesting aspect of the Chargers’ planned move is what the Raiders will do now, since it appears that Los Angeles will not be an option for them any longer.